Forrest Griffin disclosed PSAC suspension, but reason for order never filed with ABC

On his application for a license to fight Tito Ortiz at UFC 106, Forrest Griffin wrote that he’d three months prior received a 30-day suspension by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission.

He didn’t, however, say why.

“It’s very important for the commissions to put that info on the database in case the fighter fights somewhere else and doesn’t inform the commission,” Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The Association of Boxing Commissions, to which the NSAC and PSAC belong, maintains a national database of fighters that notates information such as disciplinary actions.

Griffin today told MMAFighting.com that he flunked a drug test following his first-round TKO loss to middleweight Anderson Silva, who stepped up to light heavyweight to co-headline UFC 101 with “The Ultimate Fighter 1″ winner.

UFC 101 took place Aug. 8, 2009, at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and was overseen by the PSAC. UFC 106 took place Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, which the NSAC oversaw.

Overwhelmed with nerves and unable to sleep before the UFC 101 contest, Griffin said he took the anti-anxiety medication Xanax the night prior to the fight with Silva. He defended his decision not to reveal his positive test, asking, “Why add humiliation to a bad situation?”

Kizer credited Griffin for his honesty and noted that Griffin’s use wouldn’t have been a concern to the commission given the length of time that had passed between the events and the amount he took. But he added that he would have liked to have known the information nonetheless.

As it was, Kizer believed the NSAC’s doctors questioned Griffin about the Xanax and determined he could fight.

“The concern with drugs like that, of course, is the danger it puts the fighter who takes them in,” he said. “It’s not necessarily like a PED where you’re increasing your risk to your opponent unfairly. You’re increasing the risk to yourself. It is a big concern, and that’s one of the reason drugs like that are prohibited to take that close to fight time.

“So hopefully, he’s learned his lesson, and hopefully other fighters who may think about taking something like that that close to fight time can learn from the situation. But it’s very important to get that information out. It’s unfortunate that it’s taken three years.”

PSAC Executive Director Greg Sirb on Tuesday confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that Griffin tested positive for a low level of Xanax, or alprazolam, in his system. A note was placed on Griffin’s national database record on Aug. 8, he said, stating he “must call Pennsylvania Commission before the next bout.” Griffin was then given a 30-day suspension and fined.

Sirb said Pennsylvania’s medical privacy laws prevented him from disclosing the exact nature of Griffin’s suspension.

“That’s the way we operate,” he said. “We have very strict HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws here. It’s the same thing we dealt with with the (Nate) Marquardt situation.”

Griffin (19-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) most recently took on Ortiz a third time at UFC 148 and won a unanimous decision to pull ahead 2-1 in the pair’s trilogy. He is set to rematch Chael Sonnen at UFC 155, which takes place Dec. 29 at MGM Grand Garden Arena or Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is likely to serve as the pay-per-view’s co-headliner.

Following UFC 148, it was revealed that Griffin received a therapeutic use exemption from the NSAC for testosterone replacement therapy. He became the sixth fighter granted such an exemption in the state.

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